Romney: I Wish Obama Had Succeeded

     This idea is Karl Rove's advice more than anyone's. Romney used it last night. The idea is to attack Obama more in sorrow than in anger.

      The other day Rush Limbaugh got testy about the lack of Obama bashing on Tuesday night. He called out Karl Rove by name.

     http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0812/80366.html

     "Rush Limbaugh slammed Karl Rove on Wednesday and said he was “literally going insane” over GOP strategists’ advice that the party not attack President Barack Obama during their convention."

     “Do you want to talk about the overall tone of the convention?” Limbaugh facetiously asked his radio show audience. “Do you want me to say, ‘My gosh, what a bunch of wimps. Don’t even have the guts to mention Obama’s name. Christie didn’t have the guts to mention his name?’ Do you want me to tell you how this bunch seems to be afraid to be critical of a party that’s destroying the country? Or do you agree with the party, ‘No, we don’t need to mention that because everybody already knows it and we’re trying to attract swing voters, and they don’t want to hear that stuff?’

     "The conservative talker signaled out Karl Rove, the Bush administration political guru who leads several outside spending groups, and Ed Rollins, who managed Rep. Michele Bachmann’s failed GOP primary bid this year, for criticism."

     "Rollins said on Fox News that ignoring Obama’s record was “the perfect way to go” since most voters are already familiar with it. Rove agreed with Democratic strategist Joe Trippi when he made a similar statement."

     “Where was the beef?” Limbaugh implored. “Where was the red meat? There wasn’t any. Everybody doesn’t know about Obama’s terrible record! I’m gonna tell you something. Mr. Rollins, if everybody knew Obama’s record, he’d be down 20 points.”

      What it comes down is that Rove and Ed Rollins and similar Republican operatives understand that there's a virtue in going easy on the Obama bashing.

      So Romney actually said he wished Obama had succeeded. After the speech I noticed that Chris Matthews praised that line-'if he really meant it.'

       Mario Rubio-who had a very good speech-ran the Karl Rove play as well when he said that the issue is not with Obama personally, that  everything we know tells us he's a decent family man just like Romney is-'He's not a bad person, just a bad President.'

        This lacks the red meat that a Limbaugh wants but he doesn't know anything about what it takes to win an actual election.

        In many ways this Rove Rule is actually the anti Rush Rule at the same time. Romney's line I wish he had succeeded is 180 degrees from when Limbaugh said two days after the election that 'I hope Obama fails.'

        McConnell had said the same thing when he said the only thing that matters is making Obama a one term President.

       I notice that the Wall Street Journal has even been invoking this theme the last few days. Yesterday, Rove wrote an op-ed imagining the thoughts of David Plouffe's mind if only Obama had done the right thing and was cruising now to victory.

       Today again, I notice the editorial section made an illusion to "if America were in a better place, Mr. Obama would be cruising to a second term." Friday, August 31, 2012. Pg. A14 "The Romney Opportunity."

        So even the WSJ claims to be sorrowful for Obama's alleged failure rather than reveling in it, rather than gloating.

        This is because they are desperate to win over the swing voters, the undecideds, and some who voted for Obama last time but are not sure now.

        These are not people who will be won over by Obama bashing or quips about birth certificates and school transcripts.

         It's no surprise that Limbaugh hates the strategy-it's literally the anti-Limbaugh strategy.

         However, if Chris Matthews likes the line then maybe it will win over some of the undecideds.

         Note that Romney even went further than this last night. He gave Obama some credit for taking out Bin Laden, and even quoted past lines of his approvingly for effect. So part of what they hope will win over some Obama voters with "buyer's remorse" is if he selectively even channels Obama a little.